Pipe wrench



Sept. 6 1927.

H. G. BUTT PIPE WRENCH Filed Sept. 16, 1925 Alllllll L'.

PATENT oFFl-cE.

HERBERT G. BUTT, F WINTHBOP, i

-mn wnnNoH.

Application med September 18, 1925. Serial No. 56,829.-

One object of this invention is to provide a. pipe wrenc ,the jaws of which are smooth and not liable to mar a pipe and are adapted to be quickly opened and closed, and, when opened, are separated'joy a space which 1s wider than the diameter of a pipe to be engaged bythe jaws, so that the jaws may be conveniently applied to a pipe located 1n a partially obstructed position, by an edgewise movement of the wrench in a direction at right angles to the axis of the pipe.

Another object is to enable the wrench to be conveniently adjusted to conform to pipes of different diameters.

Another 'object is to provide means preventing injurious or breaking strain on a lever portion of the wrench when the jaws are closed on a pipe.

Of the laccompanying drawings forming a part of this `specilication,--

Figure 1 is a side view of a plpe wrench embodying the chief features of thel invention. l

Figure2 is an edge view Figure 3is asection on line ure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Figofthe same. f

3-3 of Figvure 1.

Figur-e5 is asection on line 5-5 of Figure 1.Y Y

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure l, showing a different embodiment of the means for adjusting the swinging-jaw to vary its closing movement.

- Figure 7 shows in longitudinal section the structure shown by Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side view, showing the wrench provided with means for preventing breaking strain on a lever portion thereof.

Figure 9 shows in longitudinal section the structure shown by Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a section on line l0-10 of Fi re 8. f

igure 11 shows in perspective, the swinging member of the coupling shown by Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 12 shows in perspective the pivot stud connecting the swinging and ixed members ofthe coupling.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

' My improved pipe -wrenchcomprises two intersecting two-armed levers land a fulcrum c stud pivotally connecting thelevers'at their intersection, so that each lever includes an inner handle arm, projectingrearward from the fulcrum stud, and an outer arm projectin forward from the stud.

n the embodiment shown by Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the fulcrum stud constitutes an element of means for var ing the gripping movement or projection o the swinging-jaw hereinafter described, and thus enabling the wrench to conform to pipes of different diameters, said stud including two alined portions 12, 12, and eccentric portion 13, between the portions 1-2, and a head 14 at one end of the stud, adapted to be manually turned to vary the radial position of the eccentric. f

One of the levers includes an inner handle arm 15, and an outer arm 16, the inner edge of which is recessed, as'shown by Figures 1, 6, 7, 8 and9.' A pipe-gripping jaw is fixed to the outer arm 16 and preferably includes an extension 17, integral with the arm 16, and a facing member 18, having a substantially semi-circular vgripping face, formed to conform to substantially one-half of thev periphery of a zone of the' pipe, the member 18 being detachably secured tol the extension 17. I t l The other 'lever includes an inner handle. arm 1'9 and an arm 2O,'-v vhich isy shorter than theiarm 16, and constitutes a toggle arm or member. f Y f i kThe fulcruml stud connects the-two levers at the point where'they intersect, the outer arm 1,6 projecting farther from the stud than the outer arm 20. A swinging-j aw is lpivoted by a pivot stud 21 u to the outer arm 16', and is adapted .to swing toward and from the jaw fixed to said arm. The swinging-jaw includes a body member 22, engaged with `the pivot stud 21,

and a substantially semi-circular gripping face formed on a facing member 23, detachably secured to the body member and formed to engage the opposite half of the pipezone. The swinging-jaw is connected withv the shorter outer arm 20, by a link 25, connected by a pivot stud 26 with the arm 20, and by a pivot stud 27 with the swinging-j aw. The ,M

link andthe shorter arm 20 constitute a toggle, the arrangement being such that whenthe handlearms 15 and 19 are closed, i as shown by full lines in Figure 1, thel toggle isV rendered active and projects the swingingf. no

jaw to its gripping position', and when the landle arms are opened, the toggle is broken and swings the swinging-jaw inward, as shown by dotted lines, the amplitude of thc` inward movement heilig such that the jaws are separated lby a space ol greater width than the diameter of a pipe which thel jaws are adapted to engage. The wrench may, therefore be conveniently moved iu a direction at right angles to a fixed pipe when the swinging-jaw is retracted, to locate. the jaws in position to grasp the pipe.

The longer outer arm 16 is preferably curved or arched, and the fixed jaw tacos inward, so that its inner side and the. fixed jaw form a recess in which the swingingjaw and the toggle are movable, the arrangement being such that when the swinging-jaw is relocated, the major portions o'l said jaw and the toggle are contained in said recess, the reentrant form of the recess permitting a maximum retraction ot the swinging jaw and a pipe-receiving separation of its semi-circular gripping faces. The handle arm 15 is preferably U-shaped in cross section, and the handle arm 19 is preferably I-shaped in cross section, and adapted to enter the channel t'orincd by the arm 15, as shown by Figure ln the embodiment shown by li`ignres l, 2 and 5, the eccentric 13 on the nlcrnm stud may be part-ly rotated to vary its radial position and correspondingly vary the extreme of the forward extreme ing-jaw.

In the embodiments shown by Figures 6, T, S and 9. the tulcrnm sind designated by 12 is non-adjustable, and' the toggle-link connecting the shorter arm 20 with the swinging-jaw is adjustable in length to vary the extreme of the forward movement ot the swinging-jaw. Said link is composed of two externally threaded end members 230, one having a right hand and the other a left hand thread, a sleeve 31 having a right hand and a left hand internal thread, tie members 30 and 3l constituting a turlrlmckle. Rotation of the sleeve shortens or lengthens the link.

lVhen the arm 16 and the fixed jaw form a relatively shallow recess, as shown by Figures 1, 6 and 7, the relative positions of the studs 12", Q6 and 27, are such, when the swinging-jaw is retracted, that the toggle is movable from its inactive to its active position, by a movement imparted by the operator to the handle-arm 19, Yin the direction of the arrow m (Figure 6), but when.

the arm 16 and the fixed jaw form a deeper recess, `as shown by Figures 8 and 9, which is sometimes preferable, the relative positions of the studs l2, 26 and 27, are such when the swinging-jaw is retracted, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 8, that the toggle cannot be moved to its active posi 'integral with the handle arm 15.

tion by a movement of the handle lever 19, by the operator, indicated by the arrow av, such movement tending to still further break the toggle. I therefore provide a biasing spring 33, one end of which is fixed at 3ft to the arm 16, the other end being free and bearing on a portion of the toggle link. As

shown by dotted lines in Figure 8, the spring is tensioncd by a breaking movement of the toggle and exerts pressure on the toggle, forcing the handle arm toward the full line position, when it is released by the operator, until the relative positions of the studs are sneh that the operator is enabled to swing the handle arm 19 further in the same direction, and thus render the toggle active and project the swinging jaw.

lt will be seen from the foregoing that the spring is not required with the arrangement shown by Figures l, 6 and 7.

'lo prevent the possibility of breaking the longer arm 16 by strain thereon, when the jaws are closed on a pipe, and particularly when the lixcd jaw joins said arm, I provide coupling means bridging the recess formed by the longer arm and the fixed jaw, and adapted to prevent injurious lexure of said arm and jaw, when the swinging-jaw is pr0 jected. j

Said coupling includes an inner member partly bridging the recess and preferably composed ot a pair of spaced apart arms 36, one of which is shown by Figure 8, and the other by Figure 9, and a pivot stud 37, journaled in bearings in the outer ends oit' said arms, the arms being preferably cast The coupling also includes an outer member, adapted to complete the bridging ot' the recess and preferably formed as a yoke including arm portions 38 (Figure 10) having orifices 39 in their inner ends, and a neck portion or abutment 10, connecting the outer ends of the arms.

The orifices-I 39 are semi-circular, and the stud 37 has semi-circular end portions ll1, fitting the orifices. In assembling the parts, the stud 37 is inserted in its bearings in the arms 36, the end portions 41 projecting from the outer sides of the arms 36. The arms 38 of the outer coupling member or yoke are fiexible and are sprung on to the projecting end portions 41, which are then upset at their outer ends against the outer sides of the arms 38, so that the stud is rigidly connected with said arms. The outer coupling member or yoke is thus adapted to swing to the position shown by Figure 9, and by full lines in Figure 8, until its neck portion or abutment 40 engages an undercut shoulder or abutment 42 on the fixed jaw, so that the coupling supports strain tending to injuriously Hex the arm 16 and the fixed jaw. The outer coupling member is also adapted to beswung to the lun dotted line position shown by Figure 8, so that it does not obstruct the jaws.

To yieldingl conline the outer coupling member in eac of'the positions shown, cut away the stud 37, to providea recessed fiat face 44 A(Figure 12) thereon, and secure to the handle arm 15 at 45, one end of a spring 46, the other end of which bears on the face 44, as shown by Figure 9, when.

the outer coupling member is in its operative position. The spring coacts with the face 44 to sna the abutment 40 of the outer member mto engagement with the abutment 42. When the outer coupling member is turned back to the dotted line position (Figure 8), the spring has a suicient frictional engagement with the rounded side of the stud 37, oppositethe face 44, to prevent loose swinging movement of the coupling member from the dotted line position.

It will be seen that theclonger arm 16, and its extension 17, is recessed at its inner edge, and that the substantially semi-circular smooth gripping face'on the member 18 is within said recessed edge, and that the swinging jaw 22, pivoted to the recessed arm and provided `with a substantially semi-circular smooth gripping face, formed on the member 23, projects from'the recessed edge and is adapted by the reentrant form of said edge, to be retracted, as indicated by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 8, sufficiently to eng able the jaws, when fully opened, to be applied to a pipe by an edgewise movement of the wrench, the gripping faces of the jaws having a plpe-receiving separation.

-It will also be seen that when the jaws are in closed relation the two smooth gripping faces conform closely to opposite sides of the periphery of a pipe and bear on practically all portions of a zone of said periphery, so that the jaws are adapted to exert suicient turning force on the pipe, without having toothed gripping faces liable to mar the pipe.

I claim: j

1. A pipe-wrench comprising a pair of crossed levers connected by a fulcrum stud, so that each lever has an elongated .inner handle arm and -a shorter outer arm, the

outer arml of one lever beinv recessed at its inner edge and extended to form a fixed jaw having a substantially semi-circular smooth gripping. face within the recessed edge, the outer arm of the other lever being a toggle arm, which is shorter than the recessed arm,

a swinging jaw pivoted to the recessed arm and projecting from the recessed edge thereof, and having a substantially semi-circular smooth gripping face arranged to coincide with the gripping face of the fixed jaw so that the two grippin faces are ada ted to substantially surroun a pipe when t e jaws are in closed relation, the recessed edge of the outer arm permitting a suicient retraction of the swinging jaw to enable the jaws to be applied to a pipe by an edgewise movement of the wrench, when the jaws are fully separated, and a link pivoted to the said toggle-arm and to the swinging jaw, the toggle-arm and link constituting a toggle adapted to be rendered active by a closing movement of the handle arms, to close the semi-circular jaw faces on a pipe, and to be broken by an opening movement of the handle arms, to cause the retraction of the swinging jaw into the recessed edge, and a pipe-receiving separation of said jaw faces.

2. A pipe wrench as specified by claim 1., the link being constructed as a turn-buckle, adapted to be shortened and lengthened to vary the amplitude of the closing and opening movements of the swinging jaw.

3. A pipe wrench as specified by claim 1, the wrench Vcomprising also a coupling bridging the recess in the longer outer arm and adapted to prevent injurious iiexure of the longer arm when the swinging-jaw is projected, said coupling including an inner member fixed to the lever having the longer arm and partly bridging the recess, and an outer member pivoted to the inner member and ada ted to complete the bridging of the recess, t e longer arm and the free end of the outer member being provided with complemental abutments, adapted to be pressed together by strain tending to Hex the longer arm.

4. A pipe wrench as specified by claim 1, the wrench comprising alsov a coupling bridging the recess in the longer outer arm and adapted to prevent injurious exure o the longer arm when the swinging-jaw is Vprojected said coupling including an inner member fixed to the lever having the longer arm and partly bridging the recess, and an outer member pivoted to the inner member and ada ted to complete the bridging of the recess, t e longer arm and the free end of the outer member being provided with com- HERBERT G. BUTT. 

